Countermeasure material requirements (objective 1) is common to all materials. The first objective is identical to that of the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites study. Assessment of material use (objective 2) is a sorting of materials to determine the best role (direct resistance/load damping/alternate load paths) for each. This includes countermeasures that may be a composite of two or more material types. For both studies, results for these two objectives will be presented in common. Detailed assessment and research plans (objective 3) for fiber-reinforced composite, ultra-high performance concrete, and high-performance steel will be presented as separate chapters.

(2) Assessment of potential for material use in three countermeasure functions: direct resistance, load damping, and alternate load paths. For counterterror needs, the protection requirements will be significantly higher than that provided by currently available retrofit materials. For seismic and impact, the performance requirements must meet current specifications.

This is an analytical study to determine the most efficient material use in performing the three functions: direct resistance, load damping, and alternate load paths, and the potential for development, when possible, of multihazard countermeasures for (separate occurrence) load events: explosive/cutting, seismic, and collision. The project will recommend the necessary followup physical research and development for the feasible countermeasures (the most practical methods to reduce State departments of transportation installation and maintenance costs while providing full protection). The project tasks are:
(1) Review bridge field evaluations.
(2) Material properties for mitigation.
(3) Analytical Study: Performance of current materials in multihazard mitigation.
(4) Analytical Study: Material performance full multihazard mitigation (member requirements on specific components/potential upper limit of material performance).
(5) Development of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites (research plan to develop countermeasures using FRP composites/recommended test methods).